It's this kind of evening outside my house tonight too--minus the sleigh and horses unfortunately--so it's a perfect night to be inside in front of a fire place with a pile of books.

The lithograph was created by Frances (Fanny) Palmer (American artist, 1812-1876) and published in 1854 by Nathaniel Currier who later took a partner and formed the firm Currier and Ives.

"During the late 19th century, it is said that in the homes of most ordinary Americans there were lithographs created by Frances "Fanny" Palmer. Aside from the drawings, you will see her work on countless numbers of greeting cards, calendars, and in books as the print makers in America loved to use her artwork. Even though her work was so widely used throughout America, she was ignored by many art historians."